KCL student takes home award for policy proposal on tackling eating disorders in gyms

A student at King’s College London has won an award for her policy proposal on how to tackle eating disorders in gyms.

Sophie Du Plessis, a nursing Master’s student was crowned the overall winner at Policy Idol, an annual competition where students from across the university propose their innovative policy ideas to a panel of leading experts.

During her pitch, Sophie argued that gyms should be better facilitated in order to support and understand those at risk.

Her proposal focused on three key improvements; enhanced screening through questionnaires, mandatory staff training, and public education and resource provision.

This impressed judges Baroness Louise Casey, Dame Sally Morgan, Jonathan Slater, and Bobby Duffy, earning her the £1,000 prize.

Speaking to The King’s Tab, Sophie explained how the inspiration behind her project came from her experience as a former elite athlete during which she’d spent “years in performance driven environments”.

However, it wasn’t until she stepped away from competitive sport that she began to fully understand the scale and impact of diet and fitness culture.

Sophie shared how this motivated her to enter Policy Idol to “speak up about something that’s shaped my life and continues to affect so many others – frequently in ways that go unseen”.

Her goal, she added, was to “raise the profile of these illnesses- to show how often they’re missed, and how easily responsible decision-making could change that”.

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When asked about what her win means to her, Sophie said: “Winning meant doing my proposal justice – pushing myself outside my comfort zone to deliver something meaningful, to give voice to those struggling in silence, challenge perceptions, and advocate for change. To progress to the final and have my proposal heard by a room full of people – including faculty, peers, and policy leaders – was an incredible honour and deeply humbling.”

Since the final, Sophie has revealed the positive steps that have followed: “I’ve entered discussions with King’s faculty about piloting safeguarding and training measures in gyms on campus, and I’m in early talks with the UK’s eating disorder charity Beat’s Public Commissioning Lead about developing aspects of the proposal further.”

She added: “My hope is to keep building: Starting on campus, and eventually working toward a more preventative, compassionate, and informed approach to eating disorder safeguarding in fitness spaces across the UK.”

Sophie has shared the following links, whereby students can learn more about eating disorders and support their relationship with exercise.

Featured image via King’s College London